Hand shield



Dec. 7, 1954 K A N 2,695,999

HAND SHIELD Filed Sept. 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR.

/(A 775 A/PNOL D A T ram/vs) Dec. 7, 1954 K. ARNOLD 2,695,999

HAND SHIELD Filed Sept. '7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l hiya/90 INVENTOR. 6 76 M0 93 76 4 7/5 Afi/VOL 0 ZMQM United States Patent f HAND SHIELD Katie Arnold, Reading, Pa. Application September 7, 1951, Serial No. 245,578 1 Claim. ((31. 2-20 This invention appertains to improvements in hand shields, which are worn on the front of the hand by persons engaged in handling and lifting various materials to more easily lift or move the materials and which are also worn to enable a wearer to move his body, such as permitting an elderly person to more effectively grasp the sides of a bathtub or a railing etc.

Thus, the main object of such shields is to protect the hands of a wearer and establish a friction contact between the hands and the surface of an object. However, conventional shields only consist of a flat piece of leather or similar material which'is formed with a wrist strap. Therefore, the fingers must manipulate the shield in order to form it around an object, either to be moved or to support the wearer in his movements. But considerable difficulty is experienced, since the fingers in bending tend to slip on the flat piece of material and, therefore, greater finger pressure must be exerted, with the resultant effect that the fingers and arm muscles become tired. Also, there is a noticeable lack of convenience and ease of use, not only with regard to the immediate handling or grasping of objects, but also with respect to the fact that the conventional shields have to be removed to permit the wearer to perform other tasks, not ancillary to the tasks for the performance of which the shields have been designed.

Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to obviate these defects by providing a glove-like shield, which is formed with a pocket or fingers on the back thereof to accommodate the fingers of a wearer. The glove-like shield, thus, possesses all of the advantages of conventional shields and additionally, without any considerable increase in consruction expense or labor, can be used easier and more conveniently and for more varied tasks.

While the shield of this invention can be constructed in various ways, the best and preferred embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the novel hand shield;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the shield, showing the same in use;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of another form of this invention;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of another embodiment of this invention;

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8, and

Figure 10 is a top plan view of another form of this invention.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, and initially to Figures 1-5, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a hand shield, which includes a fiat piece or body 12 of material, preferably leather, rubber or a composite or plastic material, which will afford an effective grip on any smooth surfaced object. The body 12 is substantially oval shaped and is similar to the shape of a hand but of a size slightly larger. It includes a round front end 14 and a rectangular back 2,995,999 Patented Dec. 7, 1954 end 16, which constitutes the wrist end and underlies the wrist of a wearer. I

The back end 16 is formed with an elongated transverse slot 18, which is spaced inwardly and disposed parallel to the edge 20, so that a hand can be forced or pushed through the slot and onto the front end 14 of the body 12. The section 22 between the slot 18 and I edge 20 defines a wrist strap 24, as seen in Figure 5.

A semi-circular back section 26 is stitched at its rounded edge 28, as at 30, to the marginal edge of the front end 14 of thebody 12 and the straight edge 32 is not connected to the body but is spaced therefrom. The section 26 with the front end 14 forms a pocket 34 to receive the fingers of a wearer, as seen in Figure 5.

A reinforcing palm section 36 is bonded or otherwise aifixed to the front face of the body 12 in the region of the palm of a wearer and at the center of the body.

The shield 10, thus, is of mitt form and, in use, a wearers hand is inserted through the slot 18, so that the strap 24 overlies the wrist, with the fingers inserted in the pocket 34.

Another form of this invention is shown in Figures 6 and 7, wherein a glove-like shield 38 is provided and includes a flat body section 40 on the back face of which an upper or back section 42 is secured. The back section 42 is formed with an arcuate front edge 44, which overlies and is fixedly superimposed on the round edge 46 of the body section 40 by stitching 48. The body section has a rectangular shaped rear end 50 and inwardly from and parallel with the edge 52, a strap 54 is stitched to the end 50 at its ends to forma thumb strap.

The back section 42 is formed with a V-shaped rear edge 56, which is not connected to the body section. Four fingers or pockets 58, 60, 62 and 64 are formed by stitching the back section at spaced points to the body section 40. The stitch lines 66, 68, 70 and 72 diverge outwardly from the open rear edge 56 towards the closed front edges 44 of the back section and 46 of the body section.

In use, the thumb of a wearer is inserted under the strap 54 and the fingers are slightly spread and inserted into the fingers or pockets 58, 60, 62 and 64.

Another embodiment of this invention is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, wherein the hand shield 74 includes a body section 76 having an oval-like front end 78 and a rectangular back end 80. An elastic Wrist strap 82 is stitched at its ends to the front face of the end 80 and transversely overlies the end in spaced relation thereto. A back section 84 is provided and has its rounded front edge 86 stitched, as at 88, to the marginal edges of the front end 78 of the body section 76. The back section is gathered at spaced points and stitched by stitching 90, 92 and 94 to the body section, the stitch lines being parallel and extending longitudinally of the body section so that straight fingers or pockets 96, 98, and 102 are provided.

The shield 74 is used similar to the shield 10, with the fingers being inserted in the pockets and the wrist engaged under the strap 82. The thumb rests freely on the back of the body section and is not disposed in a pocket.

A further form of this invention is illustrated in Figure 10, wherein the shield 104 includes a body section 106 to the rear end 108 of which a wrist strap 110 is affixed at its ends, so as to overlie the end. An arcuate thumb strap 112 is secured by stitching 114 at its ends to the back of the body section adjacent to the wrist strap. An arcuate back section 116 is provided and has semicircular side edges 118 and 120. The side edge 118 is stitched to the marginal edges of the front end 122 of the body section and the section is gathered at its edge to form pockets or fingers 124, 126, 128 and 130. The fingers or pockets are defined by stitching 132, which secures the back section to the body section.

In using either form of this invention, it will be noted that the fingers of a wearer are disposed in a pocket or pockets, so that a mitt or glove is provided, which has a body section to frictionally grip an object and which has fingers or pockets to accommodate the fingers of a wearer.

Of course, while the preferred forms of this invention have been described and illustrated, other forms may be resorted to, so that limitation is sought only in accordance with the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is:

A hand shield comprising a bodysectionshaving a rounded front edge portion ;and :a substantially rectangular rear end portion, and a. substantially semicircular-back section having a rounded front edge, means securingthe front edges of the sections together so that the .back section overlies the .body section, means securing .the back section at spaced points to the-body section to form pockets longitudinally of the, sections, means carried by the rear end portion of the body section to engage the wrist of a wearer, said. last means including a strap disposed transversely of the rear-end portion and affixed atrits ends thereto, and means carried by the rear end portion of the body section to engage the thumb of a wearer, said last mentioned means comprising an arcuateshaped strap afi'ixed at each of its ends to said rear end portion of the body section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,919,084 Wyant July 18, 1933 2,205,957 Kinkis June 25, 1940 2,261,064 'Katz Oct. 28, 1941 2,272,333 Soderquist Feb. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 292,339 Great Britain June 21, 1928 

